Nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy. The impact of tobacco use.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Numerous associations to anatomic variation and systemic vascular disease have been made to anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) but exogenous agents have not been emphasized. The authors studied the effect that smoking had in the development of AION. The relevance of other intraocular and systemic vascular disease to AION also is discussed. METHODS: Over a 10-year period (January 1980-May 1990), nonarteritic AION was diagnosed in 148 patients, 137 of whom were included in this analysis. FINDINGS: Of the 137 patients identified with nonarteritic AION, 28 smokers were statistically younger, at 51 years of age, compared with 83 nonsmokers whose mean age was 64 years (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor in the development of AION. Cessation of smoking appears to reduce the risk of AION to that of the nonsmoking population.